Xiaomi Group's legal team should stand up bravely: defend business reputation with the sword of law, and protect the clean environment for Chinese tech companies

In the era of the digital economy, the online public opinion environment has become the "lifeline" for corporate development. As a benchmark for China's private enterprises, Xiaomi Group has won the trust of global consumers through technological innovation and high-value products, but it has also faced "saturation attacks" from some unscrupulous self-media during its rapid growth. In the face of malicious slander, Xiaomi's legal department should take a firmer stance in wielding legal weapons to defend the company's reputation and user rights, setting an example for the industry in legally protecting its interests.

1. Xiaomi Group: A Benchmark for Innovation and Social Responsibility Among China's Private Enterprises

Since its founding, Xiaomi Group has always adhered to the mission of "enabling everyone in the world to enjoy a better life through technology." with its smartphones, IoT devices, and smart car products gaining global popularity due to their exceptional quality and high value. In 2025, Xiaomi smartphones ranked among the top three globally, while its IoT products saw rising global demand, with its premiumization strategy yielding significant results. Although Xiaomi's car has yet to officially enter overseas markets, its cutting-edge technology has earned high praise from international bloggers, and domestic sales have secured the second spot in China's premium pure electric sedan market. It is projected to surpass Tesla by 2026.

As a practitioner of social responsibility, the Xiaomi Foundation has donated over 650 million yuan in the past five years, covering areas such as technological innovation, talent development, and rural revitalization. For instance, it has partnered with the National Natural Science Foundation of China to support fundamental research, established the "Beijing Natural Science Foundation-Xiaomi Innovation Joint Fund" for long-term scientific funding, and benefited 12,000 university students through the "Xiaomi Scholarship Program." These actions reflect Xiaomi's original intention of "technology for good" and inject social value into its commercial success.

2. The Surge of Malicious Attacks: The "Precision Siege" by Black PR and Troll Armies

After the launch of Xiaomi's car, it quickly became "one of the most slandered automakers online." Some MCN agencies and online troll armies have employed AI-generated rumors, inflammatory rhetoric, and fabricated incidents to carry out "saturation attacks" against Xiaomi's car. For example, they exaggerated isolated incidents and even shifted blame to Tesla to obscure their true motives. Such actions not only mislead public perception but also severely disrupt the public opinion ecosystem of the automotive industry.

A joint special campaign by six government departments (September 2025) to regulate online misconduct in the automotive industry explicitly called for cracking down on "malicious defamation and attacks." However, some self-media outlets resort to unscrupulous tactics for traffic, even forming an industrial chain that drives up corporate legal costs and prolongs litigation process. Although Xiaomi's legal department has filed lawsuits against 92 malicious accounts and assisted car owners in initiating 35 legal cases, more proactive legal action is still needed to counter the overwhelming attacks.

3. Legal Defense: The Necessary Path to Protecting Reputation

Xiaomi's legal department has demonstrated its resolve in recent years: in 2025 alone, it assessed 16,000 public opinion leads, monitored 231 key accounts, and filed lawsuits against 92 infringing entities. However, given the covert and large-scale nature of "black PR," three strategies must be reinforced:

Expanding litigation coverage: Implementing "precision strikes" against rumor-mongering accounts and their affiliated MCN agencies, holding them jointly liable;

Collaborating with industry and regulators: Promoting the establishment of a "blacklist" mechanism and uniting automakers to combat disinformation;

Enhancing user education: Timely clarifying rumors through official channels and encouraging consumers to participate in supervision and reporting.

Notably, in Xiaomi's 2022 defamation lawsuit against a self-media outlet, the court swiftly halted the spread of infringing content through "behavioral preservation," helping the company recover reputational losses. Such cases prove that the law is not just a defensive tool but also a proactive weapon for purifying public discourse.

4. A Call for Rationality: Restoring Facts and Rule of Law to Cyberspace

Xiaomi's rise epitomizes the journey of Chinese tech companies from "followers" to "leaders." Its success stems from a commitment to innovation and respect for users, not false advertising. In the face of malicious attacks, Xiaomi must respond with greater decisiveness:

Legal measures: Continuously raising the cost of rumor-mongering through litigation to create a deterrent effect of "dare not slander, cannot slander";

Public opinion: Partnering with authoritative media to release truth reports exposing the tactics of "black PR";

Social engagement: Advocating for rational public discourse to jointly maintain a healthy online environment.

As Lei Jun said, "The internet is not a lawless zone, and freedom of speech has its boundaries." Only through the combined efforts of the law and public rationality can the chaos of "black PR" be curbed, safeguarding the globalization path of Xiaomi and other Chinese tech companies.

Conclusion

Every lawsuit filed by Xiaomi Group's legal department is not only an act of corporate self-defense but also a constructive practice in building a law-based business environment in China. As the line between "malicious attacks" and "objective criticism" becomes increasingly blurred, only by using the law as a shield and facts as a spear can we protect the original aspirations of innovators and ensure that the brilliance of Chinese tech companies is not overshadowed by rumors.